I Love Asheville…”good vibes”, “keep it weird”, “828 is great” and so much more!  A big bonus with living or visiting Western North Carolina are the quaint mountain towns that surround Asheville.  And during the winter months is a great time to explore.  You will encounter less tourism and still plenty of businesses and parks open to the public.  So, let’s get started with these gems in no particular order:

Saluda, NC

Saluda has a cute little downtown with shops, galleries, and restaurants as well as many outdoor activities.  Make sure to visit the train depot.  Winter hikes to these two waterfalls are invigorating! Come back in the summertime to visit the Green River Gorge.

Pearson Falls

Big Bradley Falls

Thegorgezipline

Black Mountain/Montreat, NC

Once again, Black Mountain has a thriving downtown with even more shops, restaurants, and galleries.  Popular Lake Tomahawk is a few blocks from downtown.  And nearby Montreat, longtime home to the Billy Graham family, offers creeks, playgrounds, and the fantastic Graybeard Trail for hiking.  If you fall in love, come back in the summer and enjoy live music at Pisgah Brewing.  I did camp counseling in Black Mountain and still love the memories!

Pisgah Brewing

Graybeard

Maggie Valley

If you enjoy winter sports head to Maggie Valley for the closest ski and tube venues…

Cataloochee Ski

Tubing

Flat Rock, NC

Undoubtedly, my two favorite things to do in Flat Rock are the Playhouse and Carl Sandburg’s home, the “Poet of the People”.  There are shows in February/March which is the perfect time to be inside experiencing amazing talent!  My daughters took theatre and voice while growing up in Asheville.  Top Notch training and instructors!

Flat Rock Playhouse

Carl Sandburg Home

Hot Springs, NC

Hot Springs Mineral Spa

Lover’s Leap

Brevard

Brevard reminds me of the small towns I grew up in.  It definitely has small town charm with its locally owned shops and restaurants.

Brevard Things to do

A few of the great hikes are…

Dupont State Forest

Art Loeb Trail

Looking Glass Falls

On those really cold winter days where you just do not want to be outside, experience culture at one of these great institutions by attending a lecture, concert, or sporting event…

Brevard College

Mars Hill University

Warren Wilson College

UNC Asheville

Montreat College

Enjoy yourselves!!!

The holidays are here!  Let’s have some fun in and around Asheville!

Here are some things I’ve done…

Biltmore Candlelight Christmas Evenings: November 1 – January 5; Beautiful!

Biltmore Estate

Buying the Christmas Tree at the Farmer’s Market

WNC Farmer’s Market

Grove Park Inn Gingerbread Houses:  Get some hot chocolate and explore the Grove Park Inn which is beautifully decorated, and pick your favorite Gingerbread House

Grove Park Gingerbread Information

Lake Julian Christmas Lights: Dec 2 – 23, $20/car; Nice drive through to get in the spirit!

Biltmore Village: Walk around and hear the Dickens Christmas Carolers and Shop in the Christmas Store:

Volunteer by choosing one of the many opportunities this month:

Volunteer Opportunities

Here are some things I want to do:

Santa’s Showdown 5K – it’s the inaugural year!

Santa’s Showdown 5k Registration

Downtown Asheville Art Walk: Dec 6

Downtown Asheville Art Walk

NC Arboretum Light Show: You must purchase tickets in advance!

North Carolina Arboretum

Craggy Mountain Line Train Rides: Saturdays during December it becomes the  Jingle Bell Trolley Train Ride which leaves on the hour.  At the end you can enjoy visiting with Santa and Mrs. Claus.  Call 828-808-4877 or 828-808-4630 for more information.

Please let me know if you are planning a trip here and want company!  I never get tired of these holiday adventures!

 

Hey Baby It’s Hot Outside!

You need relief and asap!  In Western North Carolina we have you covered.  Between waterfalls, swimming holes, and numerous lakes you will be able to cool off in no time!

In Asheville:

French Broad River rafting/tubing:

French Broad Outfitters

Zen Tubing

 

White Water Rafting

Yes, that’s my daughter in upper right on the Nantahala

You can raft close by:

Asheville Rafting

but I’ll be honest…if you want intense rafting go to Nantahala:

Nantahala

Waterfalls:

Dupont and Pisgah National Forest have plenty and great swimming holes, waterfalls and hiking

Dupont

Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock

 

Lakes…

I’m biased to Lake Jocassee and Keowee in Upstate SC.  They offer clean, blue water and amazing fishing!

Lake Jocassee

 

Keowee-Toxaway

WNC lakes

WNC lakes

 

And of course you need campgrounds

Keowee-Toxaway campgrounds

Keowee Mile Park

 

 

Asheville and restaurants!  How can I keep up?  It seems like every time I head downtown or to West Asheville a new restaurant pops up.  I have updated my restaurant link with a few new (to me) favorites.

Polanco is right downtown and serves contemporary Mexican cuisine.

Polanco

 

In the River Arts District, what used to be the Junction has become Vivian’s and is still a great place to eat!

Vivian

I am a little slow on this one, but Tupelo Honey keeps expanding locations.  I am adding their link to the South Asheville location in my restaurant options.

Tupelo Honey

It seems like Asheville cannot get enough of pizza joints and fried chicken hot spots.  There are plenty to choose from!

Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack

Homegrown

Little Pigs BBQ

Circle B BBQ in Fletcher

Standard Pizza

MOD Pizza

Blaze Pizza

White Labs

And I must include my three gotos…

Asheville Pizza

All Souls Pizza

Barley’s Taproom

Forgot to pack your lunch?  No worries, the Citizen-Times came up with a list of cheap places to eat lunch:

Lunch

 

 

What is Lolo?  Their website highlighting Asheville can explain everything about the program:

Lolo – Asheville

Briefly, “LoLo is on a mission to Keep the Local Vibe Alive in communities across the country.”  It’s a way that companies can provide gifts to customers that encourage them to support local businesses.  Beverly-Hanks gives us the opportunity to use Lolo and give our contacts little freebie treats ranging anywhere from a snack to discounts on bear/wines at the local venues.  Our last three months brought these yummy freebies:

Japanese fries at GanShan Station, Asheville Chocolates treats, and $20 towards a purchase at metro wines!  Wow!

If you would like for me to add you to my list for free monthly treats, please private message, email or text me!

March may be my least favorite month of the year!  Valentines is over, February tends to fly by, and then I find myself dreading a long, cold month before spring begins to appear.  Well, this year I decided I need to change my attitude!  So, I am planning something fun to do each week.

Let’s start with a winter hike.  Winter hikes are fabulous because you can bundle up in layers and then as you start to warm up, shed some of those layers and enjoy views for miles.  If you are blessed with an unusually warm day definitely take advantage before leaves begin to appear on the trees.  Please see my “Hikes” link for suggestions.

On those cold days, take a mental health day and head to the many slopes within an hour of Asheville to tube, board, or ski.

Cataloochee

WolfRidge

Footloose is playing at the ACT through March 3rd.

Asheville Community Theatre

Micro-breweries:  Make several visits this month…Mardi-Gras, March Madness, and of course, St. Patty’s

There are always several things to do in and around St. Patrick’s Day.

From the Citizen-Times…

“Asheville Catholic School hosts its 12th Annual Shamrock Run on March 17. Take part in a 5K (9:15 a.m. start) or a 10K (9 a.m. start); both routes wind through North Asheville neighborhoods. There’s also a Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. Proceeds from this event benefit the O’Brien and William Edward Gibbs Memorial Scholarship Fund at ACS. The Gibbs brothers died in a tragic car crash in September 2017. Both had attended ACS.”

Register for Run

  From what I have read, all of the breweries are having special events and tastings!

Try something new!

The Asheville Humane Society hosts Yoga with Kitties.

Asheville Humane Society

And while you’re at it, sign up to volunteer somewhere.  Another great place to volunteer is at Brother Wolf.

Brother Wolf

Finally, the current display at the Biltmore is “A Vanderbilt House Party – the Gilded Age” which offers elegant clothing and interesting stories throughout the rooms.

Biltmore

 

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And…Love is in the Air…

Guys, if you haven’t yet made reservations, you better get on it quick!

Knowing Asheville the way I do, these are the things that I would like my honey to reserve…

Grove Park Inn Spa Treatments.  Since Valentine’s Day is on a Wednesday we have lots of leeway.  If you don’t yet have a reservation, try for the weekend before or after.   Many other massage places are very nice as well such as Sensibilities, Spa Theology, and Sparrow Spa.

For dinner reservations, my favorite “cozy” places are:

 

The Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village.  Because the restaurant is in an historic house built in 1895, the rooms are small and offer a lot of intimacy at your personal table.  Plus, the food is fantastic!

Jerusalem Garden has cushions with surrounding curtains to sit on.  You can cozy up to your sweetheart and not feel uncomfortable in a public place.

Most downtown AVL restaurants are crowded  and the tables are sandwiched in.  If you book a downtown restaurant ask for a booth in the back like these shown at Modesto…

After dinner, chocolate and coffee…Chocolate Fetish, French Broad Chocolate Lounge, Kilwins, Chocolate Gems are all divine!

And…please see these additional links for the best chocolate…

Asheville Chocolates

Baxley’s Chocolates

The Chocolate Fetish

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

http://vanschocolates.com/

If you are making a weekend of it, breakfast at Tupelo Honey, Sunny Point Cafe, Isis, or Early Girl…  Yes, ISIS is a music venue, but has an amazing brunch as well.  And you can make a reservation which most others will not allow.

 

Followed by a long winter hike.  Winter views are amazing, and the weather is typically not too cold.  Wear layers!

Bearwallow Mountain…

 

For more suggestions see.

romanticasheville.com

Cheers!

 

Thanksgiving is upon us, and Christmas will be here before we know it!  Start planning now for events to get in the spirit, ways to volunteer, and great places to shop.

 

My favorites are the Grove Park Inn Gingerbread competition and the Biltmore Estate Christmas decorations.  There is also the downtown holiday parade, Biltmore Village carolers, and beautiful light displays.

Head to the Arboretum or Lake Julian for their festival of lights.

Visit Explore Asheville for a complete calendar of events:

Explore Asheville

Also, for volunteer activities, I have worked with Manna Food Bank, Eblen Charities, and the Eliada Home.  For more information, please click on the following link…

Asheville Today

And finally, Shopping!  Please support the locally owned shops and boutiques downtown.  You will find an abundance of unique gifts.  My favorites for the girls in our lives are Hazel Twenty, Lost and Found, and Traveling Chic Boutique.

Cheers!!!